Ah, yes, the west coast tour... well, we all played more than we ever had before -you pretty much couldn't shut us up, period. We played for nothing, usually, in motel rooms and people's houses, in sports bars and in the street -sometimes even in regular night clubs. Acoustic, you know, like, folk music -we had fucking hootenannies, for god's sake. By the end of it, my voice was in tatters, but still I would not be quiet.
We played so much that suddenly right hand man Dinty Child out of nowhere popped up with this gorgeous song he'd written lyrics for (the tune was written by his friend Bat from West Virginia; Bat probably has a more refined version of his name somewhere, and as soon as I can find out where that is, I will put it here), called "Greenbriar Waltz" (turns out it's Bill "Bat" Clapham -pretty fast work, huh? oh I am honest as the day is long...) Anyway, none of us could believe what a sneak he was to have such a good song lying around for years, probably (knowing him), without ever showing it to us; I guess I'll have to kill him.
This was recorded at Tom Carns' house in Oakland. Tommy's an old friend from Cape Cod, used to be in a band called the Hitchhikers with current Casual Aaron Spade, and we've gotten to be great pals over the years, so we hung out with him and all his screwy friends all weekend until his girlfriend Julie got home from Mexico, and then some of us (my wife and I, actually) still wouldn't leave. Tommy plays and sings on this; my valet Fred Boak recorded it, and also sings some. We had played earlier that day in Sausalito with Mal Sharpe and the Big Money in Jazz Band, and it was the last night of the tour, probably about 3 in the morning, and god, it was a wonderful, cozy night.
lyrics
So glad to see you, how have you been all these years?
Who would have thought that the river
Could bring us both back here
We ran through summers, wild as the Greenbriar Rose
Then you chased the lights in the city
And I took the long ragged road
(bridge)
Sixteen years old by the Cat Hole
One more gone boy and girl
Sharing secrets, losing sleep to wine and the ways of the world
And up on a ridge top, blue like a wave on the sea
You made a promise, to waltz through the mountains with me
(instrumental)
(bridge)
Now it’s a summers evening, stars are falling,
The moon wanders over the stream
And with my wish, I wish I would never,
Wake from this beautiful dream
So don’t think it over, years aren’t as long as they seem
You made a promise, to waltz through the mountains
Please waltz through the mountains
Waltz through the mountains with me
credits
from Song of the Weak!!!,
released July 18, 2013
Written by Dinty Child & Bat Clapham
Recorded by the Valet at Casa Carns, Oakland, CA
THE CHANDLER TRAVIS PHILHARMONIC is a 9-piece technicolor extravaganza from Boston that includes a horn section, string
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Real Vinyl! The 2nd record about records from our friends at WMFO radio show Bubbles in the Think Tank. This one includes an unreleased song by the Catbirds and the amazing Pete Labone (among others) Chandler Travis Philharmonic
After a long hiatus, the amazing Steve Shook (Travis & Shook, Incredible Casuals) is back with a solo CD "Dignity", which features Steve's excellent songwriting and guitar playing. Just buy it! Chandler Travis Philharmonic
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supported by 4 fans who also own “Greenbriar Waltz”
love these guys... great show at Passim's last summer...or when ever that was... always knocked out by the seemingly effortless musicianship and sheer songwriting knowhow... Sam Mendales